Six Nations members occupying Brantford golf course vow to stay
Indigenous land defenders have set up shop at a former municipal golf course in Brantford earmarked for housing.
We have an inherent right to this land," said Trevor Bomberry of Six Nations, sitting behind a desk inside what used to be the clubhouse at Arrowdale Municipal Golf Course.
Bomberry and others from Six Nations occupied the shuttered golf course on Oct. 9, saying the land is unceded Haudenosaunee territory within the Haldimand Tract.
Brantford, as a municipality, took over 14,000 acres and developed it for its own use, and is collecting tax money on that. And we haven't seen a dime. We weren't consulted," Bomberry said.
They haven't produced any kind of documentation that says they own this land."
Bomberry, who took part in a similar land reclamation effort at 1492 Land Back Lane in Caledonia last year, said the response from Brantford residents - some of whom have visited the golf course to drop off food and supplies - has so far been really positive."
I was really surprised by how much love and support I was getting from the Brantford community," he said.
The people here are holding their own leaders' feet to the fire because they want to see change."
City council decided to sell the nine-hole golf course in late 2019, putting 32 acres on the market and reserving another 17 acres to be turned into a park.
That move led to public outcry over the loss of green space and a legal challenge from a citizens group that temporarily halted the sale.
In August 2020, Elite M.D. Developments came in with an offer of $14 million, which council accepted.
City spokesperson Maria Visocchi said the sale of Arrowdale is part of the city's plan to boost affordable housing stock in Brantford, adding that the Stanley Street lands have been lawfully and peacefully owned and operated by the city of Brantford for approximately 100 years and remain in the sole and exclusive ownership of the city."
According to the city, proceeds from the sale will pay for the construction of 140 urgently needed affordable housing units in three buildings.
Property taxes from future development on the Arrowdale site will fund another 80 to 90 units over the next decade.
The city is thoughtfully considering options" regarding the occupation of Arrowdale, Visocchi said.
There were two private security vehicles parked near the site entrance on Friday, but no visible police presence.
Brantford Police Service will continue to actively monitor the protest area for the safety of all parties," Brantford Police spokesperson Robin Matthews-Osmond said.
Discussions between the protesters and officers have been peaceful and respectful."
Public safety isn't an issue here," Bomberry said, inviting anyone interested in a peaceful and educational discussion" to visit the site.
The solution to this dispute, he added, lies in discussions between the city and the two political bodies on Six Nations - the elected council and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council.
Visocchi said it is not up to the city to address land claim disputes.
The national issue of Indigenous land claims is a complicated and sensitive matter that requires significant input from our federal and provincial partners as well as the Indigenous community, and is not within the city's jurisdiction to resolve," she said.
According to Bomberry, he and the other land defenders are prepared to stay on the Arrowdale site all winter and beyond.
As to the future of the site, he had a clear vision.
I'd like to see it stay green," Bomberry said.
No development."
J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.